Clean Energy and Korean National Security
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has emphasized renewable energy and small modular nuclear reactors in an effort to reduce his country’s greenhouse gas emissions. In the midst of this effort, the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, and Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, have disrupted supplies of oil and liquefied natural gas.
On Thursday, May 7, the Center for the National Interest held the inaugural session of its “U.S.-Korea Security Breakfast Series.” We welcomed three distinguished experts who discussed renewable energy and the implications of South Korea’s evolving energy strategy for national security.
—Caroline Baxter is Director of the Converging Risks Lab at the Council on Strategic Risks. From 2021 to 2024, she served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Education and Training. In that role, she led high-visibility initiatives addressing key challenges facing the armed forces, including efforts to strengthen operational resilience through enhanced understanding of climate change. Under her leadership, the Council on Strategic Risks published “Protecting Korea’s National Security with Renewable Energy” in January 2026. Ms. Baxter holds a B.A. with honors in International Relations from the University of St. Andrews and an M.A. in International Security Policy from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.
—Sangyoun (Ian) Hwang is Vice President and Head of LG’s Corporate Affairs Office in Washington, DC. He provides strategic leadership in navigating complex policy environments and supports LG Group’s multibillion-dollar U.S. investments, particularly in strengthening energy storage value chains and delivering economic benefits to local communities. Prior to joining LG, Mr. Hwang spent a decade in the technology sector, including roles at Nokia Korea and Intel Korea. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Seoul National University.
—Kevin Kong is CEO and founder of Everstar, a company leveraging artificial intelligence to accelerate nuclear energy deployment. Everstar works with industry leaders and senior government officials in both Korea and the United States to advance cooperation on nuclear energy and energy security. Previously, Mr. Kong served as CTO and co-founder of Hyperquery, an AI collaboration platform backed by Khosla Ventures, and as Head of Engineering at Bird, where he led large-scale software and hardware initiatives. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Harvard University and is currently studying nuclear engineering at MIT.
Paul J. Saunders, President of the Center for the National Interest, moderated the discussion.
***To encourage a candid exchange of views, the discussion was held on a not-for-attribution basis. The above transcript does not disclose the identities of any questioners or commentators other than the panelists.